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Benjamin M. Chen (Bioengineering Major)
"Quantification of Short TE Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) from Patients with Brain Tumors"
Sponsor: Professor Sarah J. Nelson, Bioengineering
Project Description
Benjamin plans to implement an algorithm for quantitative analysis of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) that will improve the specificity of the calculated levels of cellular metabolites such as choline, creatine, N-acetylaspartate and myo-inositol. This information is critical for predicting tumor type and grade, tailoring treatment protocols to individual patients, and distinguishing between treatment effects and recurrent tumors. The current method of estimating metabolite concentration is not sufficient when using acquisition parameters that give complicated spectra. A least squares method, developed by Provencher et. al., is more accurate. Benjamin will apply the Provencher method for quantification of spectra obtained from novel parameters, such as short echo time and high field strength, and extend the method for use in multi-voxel MRSI from single-voxel MRSI. The results, which will be presented as his Bioengineering Senior Honors Thesis, will have important results for the therapeutic treatment of brain tumors.
Scholar's Photo
Scholar's Journal
This past summer I mostly worked in the Magnetic Resonance Science Center
(MRSC), a medical imaging lab at
UCSF. The type of research I am involved in has to do with
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI). This is
similar to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) but it offers some
additional advantages when used to diagnose brain tumors.
For example, an MRI will give an image that only contains
structural features. MRSI, however, gives a chemical profile
of small anatomical regions of interest. This is important
because MRI may not always tell the entire story when trying
to diagnose the grade and extent of a tumor. In other words
cancerous tissue is sometimes indistinguishable from non-
cancerous tissue despite the use of various images and
contrasting agents.
MRSI, on the other hand, gives chemical information of
small tissue regions. The hypothesis is that if cancerous
tissue gives a characteristic chemical profile different
from that of non_cancerous tissue, then it can be used to
diagnose the grade and extent of cancerous tissue as well
as distinguish between cancerous tissue and treatment effects.
Many studies at MRSC has established certain chemical markers
that do in fact suggest cancerous tissue even when the
same tissue do not appear 'cancerous' on MRIs.
In order for me to execute the project, I had to learn how
to use an MRI scanner. At first, this was rather
intimidating simply because the hardware is so expensive.
I did not want to be responsible for damaging a $4 million
system. After a while, however, with much help from the
post-doc i work with (Radhika), the technicians (Niles and
Evelyn), and my friend (Duan) i can at least do some basics
without much trouble. Thanks guys!
Since the lab is a clinical research lab, there are many
patients who have life threatening diseases. My prayers
go out to them and their families. I realize that the
advances of bioengineering and the medical sciences must
proceed responsibly for the sake of those in need of
medical attention.
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